Hu's Asia-Africa tour to bolster relations

CHINA / Opinion

 Hu's Asia-Africa tour to bolster relations
By Yu Wensheng (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-04-24 05:29

Following his state visit to the United States, President Hu Jintao began
a four-nation tour in Asia and Africa on Saturday to visit Saudi Arabia,
Morocco, Nigeria and Kenya.

By visiting the United States and four Asian and African countries on one
tour, the arrangement is in itself a message to the rest of the world:
China attaches considerable importance to relations with developed
countries such as the United States; however, as the largest developing
country in the world, it also takes the strengthening and development of
traditional friendly ties and co-operation with developing nations as a
major part of its diplomatic policies. China seeks to "make as many new
friends as possible, without sacrificing its close relations with old
ones."

President Hu's visit to these four Asian and African developing countries
is aimed at reinforcing traditional ties with old friends and discussing
with them new areas, ways and subjects of co-operation against the
changing international backdrop in a bid to inject new energy into
South-South co-operation.

This year happens to be the 50th anniversary of the beginning of
diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and African
countries. On May 30, 1956, China established diplomatic relations with
Egypt at ambassadorial level, kick-starting its drive to forge diplomatic
ties with African countries. Now China maintains diplomatic relations
with 47 African countries. Over the past 50 years, China and African
nations have backed and helped each other and seen their friendly
co-operation expand and flourish into an all-weather friendship.

The Chinese Government and top leaders have always given full attention
to Africa and its relations with African nations, as shown in their many
visits to the continent over the years. The late Premier Zhou Enlai
visited Africa three times from 1963 to 1965, including a tour of 10
countries from December 1963 to February 1964.

He also brought up the five principles for China's relations with African
nations and the eight principles for Chinese aid for foreign countries.
His visits have remained a fond memory for those African nations ever
since.

In 1996, then Chinese President Jiang Zemin tabled the five-point
proposal on maintaining friendly relations of lasting stability and broad
co-operation between China and Africa with an eye on the 21st century,
namely "sincere friendship, treat each other as equals, unity and
co-operation, joint development and look to the future."

Since the beginning of the new century, the friendly co-operative
relationship between China and Africa has entered a new phase of
all-round co-operation. China's new generation of collective leadership
remains highly attentive to developing the country's relations with
African nations. Top Chinese leaders, including President Hu Jintao, paid
several visits to the continent. At the same time, Chinese leaders
continued to explore new fields and ways to develop Sino-African
co-operation.

In February 2004, President Hu Jintao raised a three-point proposal
during his first African trip as China's head of State: "maintain
traditional friendship and push for new development of Sino-African
relations; maintain mutual assistance and benefit and promote common
prosperity for China and Africa; maintain close co-operation and protect
the interests of developing nations."

At the Asian-African Summit in April 2005, President Hu proposed four
principles for constructing a new strategic partnership between Asia and
Africa: "Respect and support each other in politics, complement each
other for common success in economics, learn from each other's strong
points in culture, and maintain mutual trust, dialogue and co-ordination
in security."

In September of the same year, President Hu announced five measures that
China would take to help other developing countries speed up their
development at the high-level meeting on development and finance during
the summit to mark the 60th anniversary of the United Nations.

In January, the Chinese Government announced the direction and targets of
the country's African policies for the new century in "China's African
Policies." This autumn, China will host the China-Africa Co-operation
Forum in Beijing, combined with the third ministerial meeting, where
Chinese and African leaders will gather to jointly hammer out the general
blueprint for a new strategic partnership between China and Africa
characterized by political equality and mutual trust, economic
co-operation, mutual benefit and common success, and learning from each
other's cultural achievements.

President Hu's latest visit to Africa can be seen as another major step
along the path paved by his predecessors that will point the way for
future development. On this trip the Chinese head of State will exchange
ideas and hold face-to-face discussions with the leaders of his host
nations on bilateral as well as China-Africa ties, in addition to jointly
planning the future of Sino-African relations. They will also make
preparations for a fruitful "Asia-Africa Co-operation Forum" and Beijing
Summit later this year.

President Hu's first stop on his four-nation tour of Asia and Africa is
Saudi Arabia, a big country in the Arabic and Islamic community wielding
considerable influence in the Middle East, the Gulf region and the Muslim
world. Bilateral ties between China and Saudi Arabia have developed
smoothly since they established diplomatic relations in 1990. After
succeeding the throne in January this year, King Abdullah chose China as
the first foreign country to visit in his new capacity. During his China
trip, King Abdullah and President Hu reached an important common
understanding on forging a friendly strategic and co-operative
relationship between the two countries.

President Hu's current visit to Saudi Arabia is a reciprocal gesture to
King Abdullah's earlier visit. It is the first time in the history of
bilateral relations that the two nations' heads of State went to each
other's country within only a few months.

Saudi Arabia is the largest oil supplier to China and the nation's top
trading partner in the Middle East, with the value of their bilateral
trade reaching US$16 billion last year.

This is President Hu's first visit to Saudi Arabia, where he is scheduled
to speak to the Saudi Consultative Conference in addition to holding
talks with King Abdullah and meeting with Crown Prince Sultan, who is
also deputy prime minister. He will spell out China's policies and ideas
on developing relations with Arab nations in the new century.

The second stop of his four-nation trip will be Morocco, which is an
African and Arab nation with significant influence over regional affairs.
The two countries and their peoples enjoy a very long history of friendly
relations. Morocco is the second African country to have established
diplomatic ties with China.

Bilateral relations between the two countries have developed smoothly
since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1958, with frequent
reciprocal visits by top state leaders including such key government
figures as the late Premier Zhou Enlai, former President Jiang Zemin,
former Chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee
(NPCSC) Li Ruihuan, former Premier Zhu Rongji and current NPCSC Chairman
Wu Bangguo on the Chinese side. King Mohamed VI visited China in 2002.

Co-operation in various fields between China and Morocco has achieved
excellent results over the years. And in recent years, the two countries
have seen their mutually beneficial co-operation in economy and trade
develop at a relatively fast pace, with their 2005 bilateral trade value
approaching US$1.5 billion, a year-on-year increase of 28 per cent.

China and Morocco have also kept admirable communication and
co-ordination over international affairs as well as those related to the
China-Africa Forum and the China-Arabic Forum.

President Hu's is the first visit to Morocco by a top Chinese leader in
the new century. He will hold talks with King Mohamed VI during the
visit, while some government departments of both countries will sign
several agreements concerning co-operation on trade, culture, medicine
and health.

The third stop on President Hu's four-nation trip will be Nigeria, a
major African country with an important role in African and international
affairs. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1971, China
and Nigeria have also enjoyed smooth development of their bilateral ties,
gaining pace in recent years. In April last year, during his visit to
China, Nigerian President Obasanjo and Chinese President Hu reached a
consensus on forming a strategic partnership characterized by political
mutual trust, economic mutual benefit and mutual assistance in
international affairs.

Nigeria became an important African oil supplier to, and the third
largest African trading partner of, China in 2005, when bilateral trade
value totalled US$2.83 billion, representing an increase of 29.6 per cent
from a year earlier. The two countries have also conducted fruitful
co-operation in such regional and international efforts as
counter-terrorism and peace-keeping missions.

President Hu's visit to Nigeria coincides with the 35th anniversary of
the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. During
his stay, President Hu will have talks with President Obasanjo, meet with
leaders of both the Senate and House of Representatives of Nigeria's
National Assembly and deliver a speech to the lawmakers that will present
his take on China-Africa relations and China's African policies.

The last stop on his latest foreign trip will be the East African nation
of Kenya, with which China has had direct contact since the Tang Dynasty
(AD 618-907). In the 15th century, the enormous Chinese fleet commanded
by Admiral Zheng He of the Ming Dynasty reached several coastal towns of
Kenya during one of his seven great voyages. Local tribal chiefs and
government officials of those times also visited China afterwards.

Frequent high-level visits have taken place since the two countries
established diplomatic relations in 1963, including former President
Jiang, former premiers Li Peng and Zhu Rongji and current NPCSC Chairman
Wu Bangguo, while Kenyan President Kibaki visited China in August last
year.

The Kenyan Government has adhered to its one-China policy. The two
countries have maintained close contact and co-ordination on
international affairs. Their co-operation in economy and trade is also
expanding. Today, Kenya is an important trading partner of China, while
the latter is one of the leading Asian importers of Kenyan products.

The total value of bilateral trade in 2005 reached US$475 million,
representing a 29.7 per cent year-on-year growth. Co-operation in tourism
is proceeding smoothly, with Kenya becoming an official destination for
Chinese tourists in March 2004. And Kenya received 11,000 Chinese
tourists last year.

Kenya's national flag carrier now operates direct flights between Nairobi
and Guangzhou in South China's Guangdong Province, while China has opened
the first Confucius Institute in Africa at the University of Nairobi.
During his stay in Kenya, President Hu will hold talks with President
Kibaki to discuss the future development of bilateral relations.

President Hu Jintao's visit to Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Nigeria and Kenya
will further strength the traditional friendship between China and the
four countries and will enhance political mutual trust, and expand mutual
benefit and co-operation, helping to raise bilateral relations with each
of the countries to a new high.

The author is an associate research fellow with the China Institute of
Contemporary International Relations.

(China Daily 04/24/2006 page4)

Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours

Today's Top News 

 Nation ready to help in peace efforts

 Chinese back from riot-hit Solomons

 G-7 talks focus on oil prices, and China

 Japan urged to 'respond seriously'

 Chinese nationals flee Solomons

Top China News 

 China, US more than stakeholders: FM

 Zhou: China is taking steps to reduce surplus

 Japan urged to seriously respond to Hu's proposals

 N. Hebei Province suffers worst drought in 55 years

 Ford to add 2,000 jobs in China as 1st-qtr sales doubled

20071123 Extracted from http://www.hellomandarin.net